Survey Says Fayetteville Residents Have Wrong Idea About City's Image

Every Monday night, Michael Staggh can be found at B and B Lanes with his old Army buddies. It is just one thing he loves about his hometown.

"I believe in Fayetteville, and I'll always will," he says.

However, not everybody shares his opinion. Two months ago, a Fayetteville research companysent out surveysto homes and businesses across the state. The company wanted to know what residents think about the city.

TheState Bureau of Investigationsays Fayetteville is safer than most other major cities in the state.

"The fact that we're lower than everybody in crime, nobody knows that or wants to believe that," says Gary Cooper of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce.

Pam Estes, a visitor to Fayetteville, says the city feels like home to her.

"You feel like you belong, even though, you don't live here," she says.

Researchers hope recommendations, based on the survey ,will have more people saying the same thing. The researchers sent out 3,000 surveys to people in cities such as Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte.